Woman, 69, Killed by Dog in Arizona: Reports

Woman, 69, Killed by Dog in Arizona: Reports
(Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Jack Phillips
12/21/2017
Updated:
12/21/2017

A volunteer at an animal-boarding facility in Phoenix was killed during a dog attack on Wednesday, according to police.

The attack took place at the Canine Country Club and Feline Inn, reported The Arizona Republic newspaper.

“She was here potentially to socialize the animal to prepare it for adoption when the attack took place,'‘ Jose Santiago, who is a spokesman for Maricopa County Animal Care and Control, told the Republic. ”No one actually witnessed the attack.’’

The woman, later identified by AZFamily as 69-year-old Carol Harris, had been working at the Canine Country Club and Feline Inn as part of a rescue group named Akita Advocates.

The dog involved in the attack is an Akita, a large breed of dog that can get to be two feet tall at the shoulder while weighing in excess of 100 pounds.

A dog hair specialist prepares an American Akita breed dog's hair at the Budapest Fair Center on Feb. 17, 2012. (ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP/Getty Images)
A dog hair specialist prepares an American Akita breed dog's hair at the Budapest Fair Center on Feb. 17, 2012. (ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP/Getty Images)

Akita Advocates Relocation Team Arizona posted a statement on Facebook.

“She passed away while helping rehab an orphaned Akita in the hopes of him becoming adoptable,” the post read, according to AZ Central.
“Unbelievable,” Greg Donahue, the owner of the animal facility, told ABC 15. “It’s so tragic; a lot of tears today ... We’ve never had more than a nip. This is unbelievable—just unbelievable.”

After the attack, the dog was found and cornered by an employee.

“The dog appeared to be covered in something that looked like blood to him and he then discovered the woman. At that point, 911 was called and they got the dog into a secure kennel,” Santiago told 12 News.

The dog was taken by the Maricopa County Animal Care and Control, and it will likely be euthanized.

Jack Phillips is a breaking news reporter with 15 years experience who started as a local New York City reporter. Having joined The Epoch Times' news team in 2009, Jack was born and raised near Modesto in California's Central Valley. Follow him on X: https://twitter.com/jackphillips5
twitter
Related Topics